Designing characters, stories and more with Shilo’s Jose Gomez

If you haven’t seen the book “We Make It Good” from the filmmakers at creative production company Shilo, you are hereby enthusiastially encouraged to check it out. As you’ll see there — or by exploring Shilo’s archives at www.shilo.tv — much of the company’s extraordinary content leverages the character design talents of co-founder, creative director and director Jose Gomez. Among many illustrious achievements to date, Jose and his team helped creative agency ATTIK bring Scion’s world famous deviants to life, building upon Shilo’s many other breakthrough film projects, and some design feats earlier in Jose’s career for highly successful skate, snow and surf brands. Since regular video conferences typically involve Shilo’s entire executive team on both U.S. coasts in every company undertaking, Jose’s skills as a character designer weigh heavily into most Shilo projects. Collaborating most recently with GlobalHue Latino, Shilo’s latest film Read more

SHOWTIME Launches “Inside NASCAR” with Promotional Support from We Are Plus

The brand movement specialists at strategic creative ideas studio We Are Plus (www.weareplus.com) are very proud to detail their latest project, the complete graphics package, including main titles and launch spot, for premium television’s first weekly highlights and analysis program dedicated to America’s number one spectator sport, the new SHOWTIME® series, “Inside NASCAR.” Produced in association with NASCAR Media Group, the new series premiered on February 10 on SHOWTIME®, and will run for 38 weeks, corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Read more

Southern California welcomes A Nice Set

Inhouse Creative in Venice, California, is the creative agency for S.L.A.T.E., the progressive streetwear section of the famous MAGIC fashion tradeshow held twice yearly (next one is Feb. 16-18) in Las Vegas. On behalf of my clients at creative studio We Are Plus, it’s my sincere pleasure to thank the Inhouse team for organizing the Pop-Up Shop @ AK1511 and hosting A Nice Set for its U.S. debut. Since 2008, this acclaimed DJ slipmat art exhibition has attracted tastemaking crowds in Tokyo, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Madrid, Melbourne, Singapore, and Shanghai. The exhibition will now run through Jan. 17 at AK11 in Venice, featuring unique retail pop-up stores for Orisue, Aerial7 and 9Five open every day (Mon-Sat 11AM-7PM, Sun 11AM-4PM). Read more

Tommy Ewasko, Imagemaker Extraordinaire…

This Friday and Saturday nights, and by private appointments thereafter, The Wine Cave in Montrose, California, will proudly host Artist’s Receptions and Charitable Fine Art Sales honoring master Getty Images imagemaker Tommy Ewasko and his work, and benefiting Amazing Grace Children’s Foundation. On display and available to collectors on a first-come, first-served basis are numerous Art and Gallery Prints from Tommy’s exclusive America’s Moments and Hot Color Icons collections. Please join us for wonderful wine tasting experiences, while getting to know one of America’s great imagemakers and his one-of-a-kind works. Read more

Expanding Artistry from LA Design Studio Elastic

I expect that most of my Facebook and creative industry friends who have seen all the amazing project work I’ve been sharing from LA-based full-service design studio Elastic will agree that the company’s phenomenal artists have hit every project they’ve touched out of the park. From the recent Honda Accord Crosstour “Instruments” and “Boxes” spots for ad agency RPA, to the Verizon “iDon’t,” “Surfer” and “Homing Device” Droid spots for mcgarrybowen, the adidas “It’s On Me For We” spots for 180/LA, the Lexus HS Pods spots for Team One, and more cool work for FUEL TV, Nike and others, sharing the company’s artistry over the past year has been an amazing adventure for yours truly. At this point, I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank anyone who has shared the company’s work; your interest in Elastic is appreciated immensely! Read more

What’s great about summer, in a bottle…

Taking doing what you love to a whole new level…

The musical artist Squeak E. Clean, also known as Sam Spiegel, has a famous filmmaker brother, Spike Jonze. Though Jonze has grabbed the lion’s share of the family’s entertainment industry headlines in the past, Squeak E. Clean has come on strong this year by virtue of the Feb. 17 ANTI- Records release of “The Spirit of Apollo.” Mr. Clean is half of the group N.A.S.A. (North America/South America) – a creative collaboration between him and DJ Zegon, as well as their friends, friends of friends and musical heroes – and the project is the culmination of more than five years of hard work. Produced by Squeak E. Clean Productions, Spiegel’s award-winning LA commercial music and sound design venture, the goal of the ambitious “The Spirit of Apollo” project was to bring people together through music and art.

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As widely reported across the media over the past weeks, the guest stars on “The Spirit of Apollo” include Tom Waits, Kanye West, Karen O, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Spank Rock, David Byrne, M.I.A., RZA, Santigold, George Clinton, Chuck D., Sizzla, Method Man and many others. N.A.S.A. also invited many fine-artist friends to lend their talents to animated music videos for the release’s 16 full tracks. The very first music video, for the track “Money” featuring David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, and Z-Trip, was created by directors Syd Garon and Paul Griswold with visual artist Shepard Fairey and released last December. This month saw the release of the video for “The People Tree,” which unites more of Byrne’s vocal contributions with those of Chali 2na, Gift Of Gab and Z-Trip in a visual extravaganza directed by Syd Garon and Johannes Gamble leveraging original art from Marcel Dzama. Over the weeks to come, fans can anticipate more music videos featuring original art from Sage Vaughn, The Date Farmers, Splunny, as well as animation and production work by commercial production teams from Logan, 3Legged Legs, Flourescent Hill and others. And finally, Sage Vaughn, Mark Gonzales, Shepard Fairey, Marcel Dzama and The Date Farmers also contributed their own original album cover designs — so that CD buyers get five interchangeable covers with each copy. To me, this amazing project represents the ultimate example of the rewards possible when people pursue their passions with everything they have….

Making it to the big-time….

Earlier this week, I found myself doing some research on the international filmmaker, art director and fashion designer Youcef Aden. From the front of Youcef’s personal website, this colorful original anecdote jumped out at me: “People fall into three categories: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who bitch about everything.” Though I’m intent on staying positive in all aspects of my outlook — and especially in this space — that observation from an interesting, self-styled, successful artist rings so true to many of my own experiences, reading it made me laugh out loud. Fortunately, I’m surrounded by a lot of people who are intent on staying actively busy and making good things happen… for themselves and others. As one example, I’m proud to share this recent project from my client Josh Sahley, who is the owner and creative director of LA-based motion design and production company Monkeyhead… and below the video, a few more details on Josh’s growing success.

Shilo inspires Savannah College of Art & Design’s Inspire 2009 event…

Today and tomorrow, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is hosting its third annual INSPIRE event, which unites thousands of luminaries of the motion-media design industry with the next generation of creative industry leaders.

As part of the program’s festivities, SCAD’s illustrious faculty and advisors have chosen to honor my clients at Shilo in recognition of inspiring motion media design work for the company’s Guinness “Spoken Word” project, which was produced last year for ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi London. Sincere congratulations to everyone at Shilo — and please enjoy this inspirational presentation of Guinness “Spoken Word” on their behalf.

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Daily inspiration from the design world’s past and present…

Talent impresses me deeply. Too often, I only become aware of some amazingly gifted individual upon reading their obituary… and I’m sorry to say that’s the case with the late graphic designer and poster artist Pierre Mendell. Back on Jan. 9, in carefully selected words from noted design critic and writer Steven Heller in the priceless blog he pens each day for PRINT magazine entitled “The Daily Heller,” and four well-chosen images, a master graphic designer and communicator was clearly revealed, and the news of his passing touchingly conveyed.

Thanks again to Mr. Heller, last year I was educated on the life, accomplishments, importance and humanity of publishing industry iconoclast Clay Felker, the co-founder of New York magazine whom Heller described in his July 8, 2008 edition as, “one of the great pioneers of American magazine publishing.” Here’s to Steven Heller for taking the time to engagingly share the fruits of his knowledge from the forefront of design criticism and education. The full archives of “The Daily Heller” are available here.